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Why the Overhead Throw is a Staple in Our Program

Though the internet/instagram/Twitter continue to try to complicate the training process, I firmly believe simplicity is key in any sport performance program.

Case in point, one of our staple med ball exercises with UNH Volleyball is a simple overhead throw that’s effective for a handful of reasons;

It improves/trains the anterior core for power which is important for any sport not just volleyball.

It allows us to train a very sport-specific pattern that mimics the high speeds that are similar to those seen in their sport.

When we progress to the standing, stepping and more dynamic variations of the exercise, it helps to teach an athlete how to properly create forces from the ground through the legs, through the core, then finally out of the arms in a similar fashion to their sport.

Finally, and maybe the most importantly and often overlooked with med ball work for a volleyball and/or overhead athlete from an injury prevention and shoulder health standpoint, an overhead throw teaches the posterior shoulder to decelerate appropriately once the med ball is release, in a similar way that will be seen when hitting a volleyball.